For example, an Electronically Controlled Brake (ECB) is known as a braking apparatus of a vehicle, in particular, as an electronically-controlled braking apparatus which electrically controls a braking force applied by the braking apparatus, i.e., a braking oil pressure supplied to a wheel cylinder that drives the braking apparatus, according to an operation amount (such as a pedal stroke and a tread force) input from a brake pedal.
The ECB stores oil pressure increased by a pump in an accumulator and supplies a regulated pressure as a braking oil pressure to the wheel cylinder according to a braking request of an operator. More specifically, when the operator treads on the brake pedal, the master cylinder generates an oil pressure corresponding to the operation amount of the brake pedal. At the same time, a fraction of an operating oil flows into a stroke simulator to regulate the operation amount of the brake pedal corresponding to the tread force of the brake pedal. On the other hand, a brake ECU sets a target decelerated speed of the vehicle according to the pedal stroke, determines distribution of braking forces to be applied to wheels, and supplies a predetermined oil pressure to each wheel cylinder from the accumulator.
In the electronically controlled braking apparatus as described above, the operation amount (such as a pedal stroke and a tread force) input from the brake pedal is required to be detected with high accuracy. Patent Document 1 mentioned below describes one conventional apparatus for detecting an operation amount of a brake pedal.
In a braking apparatus described in Patent Document 1 mentioned below, a brake pedal has an upper end portion pivotably supported by a vehicle body and a middle portion pivotably connected to an end portion of an input rod via a clevis, and a pivot lever is pivotably arranged and holds a tread-force switch so that an end portion of the pivot lever can push a movable rod of the tread-force switch. An operation of the brake pedal makes the pivot lever pivot and push the movable rod of the tread-force switch, whereby a pedal force can be detected.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-168532